Life Flight helicopter pilots transport patients who need emergency medical help to hospitals. While the rest of the crew of the helicopter is made up of emergency medical personnel, the pilot needs no medical training at all. His priority is to pilot the helicopter safely. He must be fully qualified and hold a license from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Average Salary

In 2014, the average annual salary for a medical helicopter pilot was $82,000, according to Indeed. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that pilots who flew for ambulatory health care services, including those who piloted airplanes, earned an average $71,370 a year in 2013. The average salary for all types of commercial pilots in 2013 was $80,800 a year.

2019 Salary Information for Airline and Commercial Pilots

Airline and commercial pilots earned a median annual salary of $147,220 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, airline and commercial pilots earned a 10th percentile salary of $208,000, meaning 90 percent earned more than this amount. The 90th percentile salary is $74,100, meaning 10 percent earn more. In 2019, 127,100 people were employed in the U.S. as airline and commercial pilots.